Last week I was chatting with a friend who was experiencing some very difficult circumstances. At one stage of the conversation, he paused, looked at me, and said, “I just don’t get it! Why is God allowing this to happen to me, and He hasn’t answered me yet?” I must admit, at that very moment I didn’t know or have anything to say, so I just sat with him, hoping my presence would bring some comfort.
Have you ever been in a moment like this? They are tough but one you hang in there for, as you want to be supportive of your friend.
As I was driving home and reflecting on this moment, it occurred to me that we’re not always going to receive answers to difficult questions that arise in this lifetime. Questions like, “Why has God allowed this? What possible good could come from this? How can a loving God permit such a thing?"
Sometimes, God chooses to provide the answers at a different point in time, but He promises that He will answer our questions!
I recently read of Cure D’Ars and thought, I bet he asked these sorts of questions often, as his story illustrates.
Cure D’Ars was a godly French priest who, many years ago, was sent to the little village of Ars to be their local priest. The village at that time had sunken to an all-time low in morals and had a bad reputation. Sunday services had been ignored by most of the villagers for an extensive period; bars were full, ignorance was widespread, foul language common, as well as drunkenness, blasphemy and lying. It was not the sort of village you would want to raise your children in.
This faithful priest, upon his arrival, decided to work actively against such a climate. When he did, the villagers struck back by tarnishing his reputation. They spread terrible rumours about him, saying he would lure women to his house for immoral purposes! He became the subject of obscene songs and scandalous letters, accusing him of using the foulest of language.
It was all lies, of course, but the faithful man of God continued to live with courage, dignity and grace, even though he endured this day in and day out. He most likely often asked God, “Why is this happening to me? I just don’t get it, God!”
This humiliation lasted for over ten years, but he eventually won the people over! God used his unwavering faith in a wonderful way, even though he continued to question. The time came in the village when the bars closed down, the foul language was no longer heard and churches were filled with worshippers! The pain that Cure D’Ars had endured for so long was able to accomplish something wonderful.
Cure didn’t have his questions answered straight away, but he continued to bring them before God each day. He was convinced that when he asked God and didn’t receive an answer, it wasn’t that God wasn’t listening or didn’t care. Deep within his heart, he knew God would answer when the time was right. Cure D’Ars knew he needed to continue to trust and hold firm to the understanding that, no matter the circumstances, his loving God never leaves nor forsakes him.
As we continue to help our students to know how to exercise a sincere and genuine faith like that of Cure D’Ars, our prayer is that they will know and understand that having a relationship with God is about embracing the fact that God never leaves nor forsakes us. This is the basis of our faith—not the need to know everything or have every question answered now.